The New Testament mentions seven different baptisms (or eight, depending on how you count things). Do you know them all, and do you understand their significance and differences? And here’s the question a lot of people have that may change everything: What if you have submitted to the wrong baptism? Would you need to be baptized again?
Let’s walk through each baptism in the Bible. And stick around, because this could change everything about your faith journey.
1. John’s Baptism In Water
The first baptism we encounter in the New Testament is the baptism of John—a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (see Mark 1:4). At that time, the Jewish people practiced a traditional cleansing ritual called mikvah, where individuals would immerse themselves for ceremonial purity on various occasions. While this practice was widely accepted, it was based on tradition—not a direct command from God in the Scriptures.
John’s baptism, however, was different. It wasn’t a man-made ritual. John was sent by God with divine authority. He called people to repent and be baptized in water in preparation for the arrival of the Christ and His coming kingdom.
We’ve got full studies on most of these baptisms, including John’s, so follow the links if you want to study further.
2. The Baptism of Jesus
The most famous person John the Baptist ever baptized was, of course, Jesus. But that baptism was unique—very different from the baptism John offered to the multitudes at the river.
John’s baptism was for the remission of sins. People came to him confessing their sins, seeking repentance and preparation for the coming kingdom. But Jesus had no sins to confess. He had nothing to repent of. So why was He baptized? When Jesus approached John, even John was hesitant. But Jesus explained the reason: “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).
In other words, Jesus wasn’t baptized because He needed cleansing; He was baptized to fully submit to the will of the Father and to set an example of obedience and humility. That’s why we consider Jesus’ baptism distinct from John’s baptism for the crowds. Everyone else came to John as sinners in need of repentance. Jesus came as the sinless Son of God, ready to begin His public ministry and fulfill all righteousness.
So far, we’ve seen how John’s baptism and Jesus’ own baptism were different. Now let’s shift gears—because the next one is often misunderstood.
3. Baptism With the Holy Spirit
John the Baptist made a powerful statement:
I indeed baptized you with water, but He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
Mark 1:8
This was not a command—it was a promise. And that’s a crucial distinction. Nowhere in Scripture is anyone ever told to obey or pray for baptism with the Holy Spirit. It was never presented as something to pursue, but as something Jesus alone would administer, at His own time and for His own purposes.
In fact, baptism with the Holy Spirit only happens twice in the entire New Testament. The first was in Acts 2, when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The second was in Acts 10, when Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit as a divine sign to Peter and the other Jewish Christians that the gospel was also for the Gentiles.
These two events occurred about 7–10 years apart. Both were miraculous, rare, and divinely timed moments that confirmed God’s will—not experiences for every believer to expect. When it happened, it equipped the recipients with miraculous gifts—like speaking with tongues—but it was never something apostles, prophets, or any Christians administered. Only Jesus ever baptized with the Holy Spirit.
So what do we learn from this? Baptism with the Holy Spirit was a unique and limited fulfillment of John’s prophecy, not an ongoing practice or command for the church.
4. Baptism With Fire
Many people believe baptism with fire is associated with baptism with the Holy Spirit. Why? John told the crowds:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11
But in the next verse, John explained what baptism with fire is all about:
His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 3:12
In Scripture, fire is frequently used as a symbol of God’s wrath and judgment—both in present warnings and in descriptions of the final judgment. When John the Baptist spoke of baptism with fire, he was not referring to a gift to be desired, but a warning to be heeded. The word baptism means immersion, and John was warning that those who refuse to repent and prepare for the kingdom will be immersed in the fire of God’s judgment.
But here’s the good news: if you belong to Christ—if you are in Him, cleansed by His blood—you are safe from that fire. You are covered. You are rescued from the wrath to come.
So please, don’t let anyone tell you that baptism with fire is something Christians should pray for or pursue. It is not a blessing; it is a warning. Praise God for the mercy and safety we have in Jesus—the Lamb who saves us from the fire.
5. Baptism of Suffering
In the gospel accounts, James and John boldly approach Jesus with a request for special status in His kingdom—seats at His right and left hand in glory. What’s striking is that Jesus doesn’t outright deny their request. Instead, He tells them, “You do not know what you ask” (Mark 10:38).
That response reveals a powerful and repeated theme in Scripture: glorification comes through suffering. Honor in God’s kingdom is not given lightly—it is born through trials. Like Paul would later say, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
When James and John came to Him, Jesus Himself was on the path to His greatest suffering. He would soon face betrayal, arrest, humiliation, torture, abandonment, and ultimately crucifixion. He would be laid in a tomb for three days before rising in glorious victory over death.
So when these guys asked to share in His glory, Jesus challenged them: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (Mark 10:38). In other words, “Are you truly prepared to be surrounded by—immersed in—suffering like Me?”
Though they didn’t fully grasp the weight of their answer, they responded, “We are able.” This conversation in Scripture reminds us that the road to greatness in God’s kingdom leads through humility, sacrifice, and suffering. Glory comes not to those who seek status, but to those who follow Jesus—through the cross—into resurrected life.
6. Baptism Into Moses
The church in Corinth was wrestling with many issues—divisions, immorality, confusion, and a wavering commitment to Christ. Paul’s letter, which we know as 1 Corinthians, was written to confront those struggles and answer their questions.
In chapter 10, Paul directly addresses their faltering faith by drawing on powerful Old Testament examples. His message is clear: Starting the journey is not the same as finishing it faithfully. He reminds them of Israel’s exodus from Egypt—how the entire nation passed through the sea, under the cloud, and were “baptized into Moses.” See how Paul puts it:
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
1 Corinthians 10:1–5
Surrounded by the cloud above and the walls of water on each side, the Israelites experienced a kind of baptism—a collective act of submission to God and to their prophet Moses. Every single one of them participated in that baptism.
In the same way, the New Testament knows nothing of unbaptized believers. Biblically speaking, if you’re talking to a group of Christians, you should be able to say, “All of you have been baptized into Jesus.” But here’s the sobering point: although all the Israelites were “baptized into Moses,” many did not remain faithful. God was not pleased with most of them. And likewise, though all the Corinthian believers had been baptized into Jesus, not all were living in a way that pleased God.
Baptism is the beginning of the journey—not the end. Faithfulness is what God is seeking. Starting well matters—but so does finishing well.
7. Baptism For the Dead
This is the baptism that many people leave out when listing the baptisms mentioned in the New Testament. Why? Because it’s not something Christians were actually supposed to be doing.
Baptism for the dead is only mentioned once in all of Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:29. And when Paul brings it up, it’s not to endorse the practice, but to expose the inconsistency in some people’s beliefs and behaviors.
The broader context of 1 Corinthians 15 is Paul’s defense of the resurrection. Some in Corinth were doubting that Jesus’ disciples would rise from the dead. Yet strangely, there were others—whoever “they” were—who were practicing baptism for the dead. Paul says:
Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?
Notice carefully: Paul doesn’t say you or we, but they. He distances both himself and the Christians from the practice. Who were they? We don’t know for sure—but the Corinthians likely did. The key point is this: Paul was describing a practice to make a rhetorical argument—not prescribing it as something Christians should do. He’s essentially saying, “Why are they going through the motions of being baptized for the dead if they don’t even believe in a future resurrection? That doesn’t make sense.”
So no, baptism for the dead is not something Christians are commanded to do. It’s not a valid or biblical form of baptism. Paul mentions it only to highlight a contradiction—and nothing more.
Before we get into the final baptism mentioned in the Bible, let me ask you: Have you been baptized before? If so, how? And why? Picture your baptism. What were you (or your parents) hoping to gain from it? Are you sure it was biblical? In other words, although you were sincerely trying to please God, are you positive it accomplished what you think it did? Final thought before we study the final baptism: What if you found out your attempt at baptism, even though it was sincere, wasn’t actually what Jesus commands? Would you be willing to obey Him right now?
8. The One Baptism Commanded To All Nations
Now we come to the baptism Jesus commands of everyone who hears the gospel.
Throughout the New Testament, we read about several baptisms, as we have already seen. Some were symbolic, like the baptism of suffering. Others were miraculous and limited, like baptism with the Holy Spirit. John’s water baptism was a baptism of repentance, preparing people for the coming of the kingdom. Even Jesus’ own baptism by John was unique, done to “fulfill all righteousness,” not for the forgiveness of sins.
But after His resurrection, Jesus gave a new command and a new baptism—one that applies to all nations, for all time. He told the apostles:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:19–20
Here it is in Mark’s gospel:
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mark 16:15–16
This is the one baptism Paul later referred to in Ephesians 4:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:4–6
This baptism is directly tied to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and that’s why it wasn’t commanded until after Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:3–4
This baptism is not just symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This is where sins are forgiven. This is where new life begins. As Paul said in verse 5, it’s where one is united with the death and resurrection of Jesus, in verse 6, where one crucifies the old self, and verse 7, where one is freed from sin.
And yes—it is water baptism, despite what some modern preachers have begun to say. Peter confirmed this in Acts 10. After Cornelius and his household were baptized with the Holy Spirit, Peter asked:
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Acts 10:47–48
In Acts 8, Philip spent some time with a man from Ethiopia.
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Acts 8:35–38
Clearly, preaching Jesus includes preaching baptism. But not just any baptism.
- Not sprinkling or pouring.
- Not baptism as an infant.
- Not baptism after a so-called “sinner’s prayer” when you were told you were already saved.
None of those are found in the New Testament. They are modern inventions—new “baptisms” that differ from the one Jesus commands.
Maybe you’ve been through one of those. Maybe you were sincere. Maybe you truly believed you were obeying God, because a preacher or loved one told you. That’s actually very similar to my story. I had water sprinkled on my head as an infant because my family loved me. As a teenager, I said a so-called “sinner’s prayer” because I was told that’s how you please Jesus. Later, I was dunked in water because I was taught that’s how you speak with tongues. I was very sincere, but none of that was what the Bible teaches. So, far be it from me to question your sincerity. But, like Paul in Acts 19, I want to help you fill in the gaps.
Paul encountered a group of disciples in Ephesus who had been baptized into John’s baptism—after John’s ministry had completed. They had been baptized into a baptism that prepared people for the Messiah. They had not been baptized into the one baptism that could unite them with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul didn’t ridicule them. He didn’t shame them.
He said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Acts 19:3–5
Maybe that’s where you are today. Maybe you had water sprinkled on your forehead. Maybe someone told you baptism wasn’t necessary. Maybe you believed someone when they said, “Water baptism doesn’t save; Spirit baptism does.” Maybe you prayed a prayer and then were later immersed in water for unbiblical reasons. Maybe you did it simply because it was the thing to do, and it really didn’t come from your heart at the time. Perhaps, like me, whatever you did and whenever you did it, you just didn’t know the truth from Scripture. But now… now you know. And you have a choice.
Like those sincere guys in Ephesus, you can obey the one baptism Jesus commands:
- A burial in water.
- A death to self.
- A resurrection into new life.
- For the forgiveness of sins.
- Into the body of Christ.
- Being born of water and the Spirit.
- A new beginning in Christ.
It’s not about trusting in your own works—works that can never save. Instead, it’s about being “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also [can be] raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).
There is only one baptism that unites you with Jesus. Is that the one you submitted to? If not, what’s stopping you?
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Acts 22:16
If we can help you in any way, please reach out to us.